Piston-ring compressor



,July 7, 1925. 4 1,544,974

C. R. GILLIS PISTON RING COMPRESSOR Filed June 5. 1924 Patented July 7, 19 25.

' E STATE '5 OFFICE A 4 CHARLES R. G1LLIs,, or BosroN, MASSACHUSETTS, Ass IeNoa-ro; E. CURTIS, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. a v

' rxs'roiv-aruecomransson.

' Application filed .Tune 3,

To all whom/it may concern,- p

a citizen of the United States, and a'resident of Boston, in the county of Suffollr and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Piston- Ring Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

- When the pistons of internal combustioi'r engines are inserted in their cylinders a certain amount of difficulty is encountered in malntalnmg the piston'rings, more especially those of the mu'lti-part non-leakable type, so called, in their respective grooves.

' It is, of course, essential that the overlapping portions of the several rings be staggered in order to prevent leakage through the gaps between the two ends of each ring and the twisting and turning of the piston during the insertion of the same in the cylinder is liable to disarrange the proper relative positions of the several rings and bring the overlapping portions more or less in alignment. 7

It is the object of the present invention to provide a device for maintaining the pise ton rings of the pistons of any type of engine, especially an internal combustion engine, in the piston grooves preparatory to inserting such piston in its cylinder.

With this object in view my invention comprises essentially a circular band of flexible material so arranged that its diameter may be varied to conform to that of the piston, and a plurality of fingers or guide pieces slidably and adjustably connected to the band for compressing the piston rings and holding them in their grooves during the operation of inserting the piston in its cylinder. 1 I

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved piston ring compressor showing its method of use on a gas engine piston:

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line H of Fig. 3.

In the particular drawings selected for more fully disclosing my invention 10 repre sents a strip of flexible material, such for example, spring brass, provided with a slot 11 extending about one-third of the length thereof from a point near the end 12. The

1924'. Serial No. 717,524.

:other end 13 is provided with a. screw 14' threaded o'r soldered or'otherwise securedv "thereto, said'screw passing through said slot and being provided with a thumb-screw 15 whereby the'end portion 13 may be clamped agains't'the slotted portion ofthe strip after the circular band has been given the proper diameter by moving, said slotted portion witlrresipect to the end 13.

Fingers or guide-pieces 16 herein showng. as six in number are adjustablly connected with th'ecirc'ular band formed by the strip 10. Each said finger consists of a straight portion 17 extending from one side of the circular, band in parallelism with the axis thereof, and .of an outwardly flaring portion 18 extending from the other side of said band. The fingers are slotted as shown at 19 for receiving the band and are in fric tional engagement therewith so that, although they may be slid along the same to desired position, they will nevertheless remain in adjusted position during the use of the device.

While obviously many arrangements may be employed for adjustably and slidably connecting the fingers with the band, I showin Figs. 3 and 4 one arrangement which has given good results in practice, viz., slots 19 are formed in the fingers intermediate the ends thereof by dieing out the portion 20 of the finger to form a bridge slightly raised from the surface of the finger. The band is then passed through the space or slot 19 between the bridge 20 and the outer surface of the finger.

In the use of my device the band is applied to the ungrooved part of the cylinder with the straight portions 17 of the fingers in contact therewith, the nut 15 loosened and the band contracted until the said straight portions 17 closely fit the piston, whereupon, having adjusted the diameter of the circular band to the piston in connection with which the device is to be used, the nut is tightened. The device is then removed from the ungrooved portion of the piston by passing it down overthe piston rod, and is then placed over the head of the piston with the outwardly'fiaring portions 18 in contact therewith as shown in Fig. 1. The said portions 18 engage the piston rings as the device is passed down over the piston and compress and tightly hold them in their grooves. The band is 'then passed further along the cylinder until, the, ends ofthe straight portions plurality of members slidable circumferen- 17 are flush with the top thereof-p and ifihisii tial'iy; on saidibahdg 'each saidmember: having conveniently may be done by grasping the a portion extending from one end of said piston rod and striking thehead of the piscircular band in parallelism with the axis ton -'against-'a plane surfa-c e-.-=-

The piston is then inserted in itscylinderextendingfiro'm the other end of said band. and pushed upwardly, each ring being compressed and in the proper positioiras the"'in a-ny desired position in the piston grooves grooved part of the piston whichtcarries,preparatory to inserting such piston in a such ring enters the cylinder. Finally as cylinder, comprising a strap of flexible mathe lower portion. ofthe.pistontenters theisterial, said strap being provided. With a slot.

cylinder, the device slides .otland is removedv at .oneend a screwsecured to theTothe'r end by passingthesameover therod.., and. passing. through; said -slot, whereby a Havingthus.described. annllustrative em-. iCIIEO UlQI EibEIHClUOf a'd usfted diameter may be limiting the same thereto, whatl claim and provided with a slot for receiving said strap, desire to secure byLettersPatentis said :guide 'pieces =beingvin frictional engage- 1 ix deyicevfor maintaining pistonnringgl ment With Silld strap and slidable' along the in any desired positionin the. piston grooves same, 1 p preparatory t vi ti h i t .i Infltestnnony whereof, I have'hereunto cylinder, comprising a circular band of fieX- subscribed myjname thisBlst, day of May,

ilole material, means whereby rthe diameter 1924.1 ofrsaid clrcularband-maybe varied, and a.

CHARLES Bren-iris;

thereo f= 1 and an outwardly =flari1'1g. :.,=portion 2. A device for maintaining piston ringsbodimentot myinvention withoutihowever formed,.and a pluraIityofguide pieces teach 

